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UPON THE 



PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND 



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BY 



GEORGE PENDLETON WILCOX. 



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Entered according to the act of Congress in the year 1862 
GEORGE PENDLETON WILCOX, 

le Clerk's Office of the District Court of the \Jmto<} "^^inU 
DiMnct of New York. 



AYER cV lUlKjIliA.M, PRINTERS. LITTLE i'ALLS. N. Y 



• 



A.3Sr ESS^Y 



UPON THE 



PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND 



Br 



GEORGE PENDLETON WILCOX, 




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PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND, 



The capacity for divining thought is not within the range of the 
human understanding ; but the judgment for investigating the 
latent princi^es upon which it is based, is a matter which can be 
philosophically demonstrated. 

Mind, notwithstanding it has for its foundation an ever-changing 
material basis, is not a solecism ; although we are unable to dem- 
onstrate with mathematical precision all the phases or shades of 
mental force, j^nd each in a definate and exact proportion, in their 
operations in developing mind of every degree or breadth of capac- 
ity ; yet it is an established principle that all this diversity of men- 
tal endowment is a matter that belongs to the world's history, and 
is indeed, everywhere conceded by those who have investigated the 
works of genius ; nevertheless it being a generally adopted princi- 
ple, that in the same ratio as individuals are multiplied, in exactly 
the same ratio human capacity is varied; there is also a great diversity 
of judgement, whether in relation to the subject matter, it results 
from some internal spring, of which we are only sensible through 
the operations of the mind, or whether it has for its basis, a physi- 
cal developement, harmonizing with all the shades of mental phe- 
nomena, which characterize the human race. 

All nature has an undeviating and unvarying law, and the index 
to it, is its natural phenomenon ; — nature in developing itself, im- 
presses the mind in the same proportion as it is capable of receiv- 
ing the ever-acting phenomenon that is always pervading her 
works ) and thus, nature is perpetually being symbolized ; as the 
injunctions of the mind yield to her demands. 

The manifestation of mind, in its greatest or most limited capac- 
ity j the animal kingdom, embracing its thousands of forms, shapes, 
and peculiar intelligencies 3 the vegetable world, with all its sub- 
lime forms of beauty and grandeur; the planetary system, with 
its diamonds fixed in the blue vault of Heaven ; — the general har- 
mony pervading all nature, the blending of her laws ; and finally, 
the magnificence and the stupendousness of her workS; bafile the 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 



powers of the human judgment, and are only capable of being 
perfectly unraveled by the God of nature. 

Every department of Science, has its genus, and its genius, and 
from the hidden resources of nature, the greatest amplitude of 
mind is required for its developement. 

The relation that all nature stands towards nature, shows the 
attractive, cohesive, and chemical affinities, that constantly control 
her relations, and govern the phenomenon by which the animal 
world is generated ; the vegetable world is made to vegetate ; — ^the 
mineral world is attracted by the affinity of its particles ; the Heav- 
enly bodies are held in their spheres ; the world is made to revolve 
on its centre; imparting a definite relation to all her works, and 
controlling them by fixed laws and causes, adequate to a most God- 
like Spirit. 

The life-giving fountain, the final source of generation and ger- 
mination, whether applied to the animal or vegetable kingdom, 
leads us to the true cause of all forms of animal or vegetable mat- 
ter : Through the force of chemical agencies, the muscle, bone, 
nerve, brain, and all that constitutes the animal system, as well as 
all vegetable and mineral forms ot matter, propogate, attrahent 
and germinate, and are the only sources, of which we are aware, 
that an organism is capable of being ft)rmed. 

That the only form of organism which is capable of performing 
mental communications is confined to the animal kingdom, and that 
it furnishee a scale of ascending and descending intelligences, as the 
elements of which it is composed furnish a more or less complicated 
system of material relations ; and that this may be considered as 
the climax and apex of the human judgment, by which the greatest 
diversity of thought is engendered, and intelligence is made mani- 
fest. 

That all forms of matter, when applied to the animal kingdom, 
particularly impart a phenomenon that is symbolical of the peculiar 
mentality by which they may be possessed ; and that there is the 
most definate and exact relation and affinity existing between, not 
only the constitutional elements of which it is composed, its phys- 
iological and pathological conditions, the peculiar animal, vegetable, 
and mineral elements by which it is encircled ; and that nature is 
adequate to the most'complex mental phenomenon, that is character- 
istic of the most profound discoveries, the genius of invention, and 
the science of .literature. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MESTD. 5 

The distinguishing characteristics that individualize the species 
into generic bodies, is finally culminated into a genera, giving rise 
to the greatest diversity of reason, judgment, will, and under- 
standing, and all that contributes to the vocabulary of human in- 
telligence ; whether it be exhibited in the galvanism of human 
thought, or the electricty of human eloquence. 

Mind, as it has been bequeathed to us from the earliest type of 
human existance, and the form which it has assumed, in giving to 
thought a living record, by which individuality is marked on all 
the pages of science, and the individual lives in the posthumous 
fame of his own individuality, the noble inheritances of genius, 
which are generated through the hidden laws of its natural revolu- 
tions, bespeak a phenomenon which chronicles the world^s progress, 
and times the dial-plate of its inevitable destiny. 

That it may l^e an established maxim that as the mind grap- 
ples in a more profound manner with any subject, the powers of 
the mind are lessened in all other directions; and hence, the neces- 
sary conclusion that there is an economy in nature by which it is 
limited and arrested in the extent of its general sphere of progress, 
by a triumph only in a single sj)here of action. 

That the sum total of the human mind, embraces the affinities of 
its predilections; and that these constitute the golden treasures 
that are drawn from the fountains of nature, and that the 
predilections of nature furnish the counterpart of its own organ- 
ism; and that these constitute the positive and negitive 
forces, by which the peculiarities of mind are demonstrated ; 
and lastly as the polar attractions of the mind gives it its 
profundity and pointedness, so the world of mind revolves upon its 
axis. 

The peculiarly reciprocating influences of mind, acting upon mind 
forms the mechanism of its structure, thereby coining ideas that 
are as ingenious in their constructions, and have a depth of ex- 
pression which are in harmony with the peculiar conceptions of 
the judgment. 

A proper analysis of human capacity, implies a knowledge of the 
distinctive and distributing forces, that constantly circulate all 
forms of intelligence ; which intelligence, gives a definite character- 
istic to the mind, whether it is confined to the most abstruce men- 
tal phenomenon, the greatest gift of eloquence, or the most sublime 
effasions of poetry. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 



That the landmarks by which mind is classified, is the stratified 
form by which the great emporium of knowledge is accumulated ; 
and that this accumulation has its source in a definite form of men- 
tal, moral, social and physical existence ; developed and inspired 
through the laws of a creative nature. 

That the intellectual plane by which all ideas reach the most com- 
mon comprehensiveness of mind, is the graduation by which genius 
is made the great luminary and focus for imparting information to 
the inhabitant of the cottage, as well as the palace. 

As the limner traces the lines by which the portraiture of expres- 
sion is delineated, the facial angles of the countenance are express- 
ed, the living artist lives upon the canvass of ages ; so, that he who 
developes a system of true mental philosophy, must trace the chan- 
nels of thought to their fountain-head, in order to develope a sys- 
tem, that is neither to be eifaced by the transformation of time or 
the wreck of ages. 

Mind, in its various gradations of progress, is governed by fixed 
causes, having their origin in an organism, embracing all the ave- 
nues of science, and giving it a specific latitude, by defining the 
relative bearings which all configurations of material existence 
stand to all forms of intelligence that characterize the nomencla- 
ture of science. As we trace the diverging rays by which mind 
progresses, the dawn of philosophy lights up the fires of intelligence, 
and each department of science is impressed with a peculiarly ca- 
pacitated organism, which divides mind from mind until it assumes 
the isolated form of genius, and is held by the intellectual powers 
of its own gravitation, until it is impressed by the eccentricities of 
mind which encompass the sphere of its own orbit. 

That the intellectual endowments are the crucibles by which all 
motives to action are defined, and through which the divisions of 
mind are resolved into their original elements ; giving place to the 
most unlimited diversity of thought and acquirements, which the 
capabilities of the understanding are able to solve. 

That the mind's motive to action,expresses the religious emotions 
and social relations ; the moral elevations and social inclinaticins ; 
and that the degree and intensity by which they are brought 
into requisition, is the standard by which character should be test- 
ed ; and that it is the only criterion through which the philosophy of 
the mind can receive a correct analysis. 

That impressions made upon the mind through the medium of 



3:he philosophy of the mind. 



the senses, constitute the incentives to action, and that they are 
the true sources of all intelligence. 

That nature has set absolute boundaries to all phases of material 
existance, and that it is adapted to, and seeks that kind and pecul- 
iarity of impressions which define the channels of its thought or 
the store-house of its knowledge, and hence, the inevitable con- 
clusion : that as the mind becomes more susceptable to thought, 
the reproductiveness of the mind assumes the form of originality, 
or is characterized by the fullness of its acquirements. 

That the manifold influences that stimulate the mind to the 
various phenomenon by which its characteristics are indicated ; 
belong to everything appertaining to the susceptibilities of its sen- 
ses, passions, propensities, sentiments, preceptions and reflections ; 
including the more important conditions the peculiar state of its 
own organism. 

That the shoriness of life, the helplessness of infancy, and the 
imbecilities of advanced age, the innumerable diseases, injuries and 
calamities to which human existence is heir 3 have contributed, and 
always will contribute to prevent the consummation of anything like 
general perfection, but will only terminate in a relative degree of 
progress. 

As all material organisms of mind are closely aUied to every im- 
pression that is consonant to its sphere of operations, its advance- 
ment harmonizes with the comprehensiveness of its judgment, and 
the defined powers of its apprehensions. 

As the acquisition of knowledge, or the current of thought, 
flows through the labratory of the minds organism, the objects that 
have attracted its powers, receive a scanning that is commensurate 
with its importance, and leaves traces of its judgment, whether cor- 
rectly or incorrectly conceived, and as ages roll upon ages the in- 
fluences of time either assumes or rejects that which is not in accor- 
dance with the progress of its understanding. 

That the functions through which mind is expressed, implies the 
existance of special mental ^powers, which impart a phenomenon 
that is indicated by its natural proclivities and partialities, which 
are developed through all the labyrinths of mental expressions and 
gesticulations,and that this is the fiat by which nature executes her 
laws, and gives to thought and preception an intelligence, and 
intellectuality. 
- That a special mental power consists in a positive inclination of 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIKD. 



the mind, by which some channel of observation or thought is elic- 
ited, and that this accounts for that illimitable variety of talent 
Avhich prevades the world of mind, and records the annals of its 
progress. 

That all the faculties of the mind, are governed by their func- , 
tions, and that each faculty has a special mental phenomenon, and 
that the organism by which mind is expressed is through the me- 
dium of its faculties, they having the power to give expression 
to the most infinate variety of thought or knowledge with which 
the comprehensiveness and apprehensivenessof the judgment may 
have become imbued ; and that the aggregate of the mind's facul- 
ties, expresses the ratio of the powers of the understanding,Jand that 
all the faculties of the mind are adapted either to the conceptions 
of thought] and the perceptions of intelligence, or the unlimited ex- 
pressions of both. 

As there are two great elementary principles or antagonistical 
forces, which have a centripetal and centrifugal influence over all 
animate and inanimate bodies, and that all nature operates as a con- 
tributing and counteracting agency by a law that governs its own 
causes; and that while nature is undergoing the destructive influen- 
ces of one, the reproducing agencies of the other, amply compen- 
sates for its losses ; and as the attractive and repulsive influences 
of its forces expound the philosophy of its changes, so the princi- 
ple has an appropriate application to the human mind; for in the 
most positive examples of virtue lie the most negative principles 
of vice — the religious sentiments of the emotions, the skepticisms 
of faith, the social well-springs of society, its lack of affinity and af- 
fection,the just principles of self-preservation, the usurpation of want 
with its determined grasp, the expansive scope of its comprehen- 
sivenesSjWith its feebleness ofjudgment,its massive powers of obser- 
vation with its limited perception; and that these are the immutable 
laws by which the fallibility of reason conveys the ultimatum of 
its judgment. 

That the complications of thought, the general diversity of ob- 
servation, the boundless realms of taste, the leading powers of 
judgment, and the unbounded inclinations of mind, have a social 
tendency which results in a centralizing influence, upon which the 
social fabric is based, and that all governments, institutions, laws, 
sciences and intellectual culture, must be reared upon this social 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 9 

element in order that it shall eventuate in the welfare and happi- 
ness of the human race. 

As the social relations of life are of such a nature, that they meet 
us upon the very threshold of human existance, it furnishes a de- 
sideratum by which the immunities of sociability should be the gov- 
erning principle,to an important extent as possible;and that all arbi- 
trary arrangements,not only deteriorates but absolutely obstructs its 
general j^rogress, thereby bringing on its trail of domestic frailties 
the almost insurmountable evils that may be traced through the 
various corruptions that infest the ramifications of society; and 
that these have an influence upon the antecedents of human exis- 
tence, and lay the foundation of its future organism, by which the 
phenomenon of physical and mental existance is thereby represen- 
ted, impressing its powers, and unfolding the diversities of its fu- 
ture state of being; and thus the progress of mind receives an ad- 
equate irapetus«fi-s its future intellectual, moral, social and physical 
relations are more highly impressed ; audit is only through such 
physical and mental forces that an assimilation towards perfection 
is attainable. , 

That all despotic power has had its origin in the civil wars of 
governments, by which the social disintegrations and turmoils of 
society have enabled the strong arm and arrogant will of might 
to establish upon the violated liberties of the people, institutions 
inconsistent with the sovereignty of the individual, and the reser- 
ved and exclusive rights of his private judgment ; and that all 
despotisms, whether they are of a political, religious or social char- 
acter tend to degenerate humanity and despoil it, not only of its 
civil and religious privileges, but destroys the nobleness of its indi- 
viduality, and the God-like form and spirit of its identity. 

As the social education of the mind is of primary importance in 
disciplining it in performing the domestic relations of life, thus an 
enlightened sovereignty is an indispensable requisite to a well- 
established government, and that it furnishes an essential harbinger 
to all governmental influences, and has a justness, excellence and 
grandeur proportionate to the standard of its expansions, the infi- 
nitude of its relations, the dispensing powers of its attainments 
and equalities, thereby enlarging the domain of its sympathies, and 
ennobling the sphere of its inspired humanity. 

As a proportional ebbing and flowing of the social feelings pre- 
sents a criterion by which the rise and fall of the moral, intellectual 



10 THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 

and selfish affections are barometrically furnishing the standing 
point of mental instillations, and the successful and unsuccessful 
progress of the mind has its proportionate advancement or retard- 
ation ; as the social springs of society have a more elevated or 
depressed, morbid or healthful intercommunication, and that this 
is the index point through which the justifications or demoraliza- 
tions of society receives a propelling or repelling power of resist- 
ance, that has a positive relation to all mutually capacitated and 
sympathizing forms of existence which govern the relations of 
society, and control the laws of its universal destiny. 

As the inlets to the mind govern the acquisition of its knowledge 
thus furnishing the tides and currents of its understanding, the 
flow of thought and observation exemplifies the immeasurable 
variety of its talents, and at each stage of its future development 
it receives an accumulation to its mental resources, thus extending 
the radius of the aggregate of its improvements, the truth or 
falsity of its discrimination, the reasonableness or deficiencies of 
its judgments, its numberless aptitudes and proficiencies, its innu- 
merable wants and desires, its accomplishments and advancing 
intelligences, its interests and kindred sympathies, all finishing the 
grand galaxy by which the nucleus of the sciences, the clustering 
influences of intelligence invoke the spirit of its inspirations, and 
hallowing tKe renown of its achievements, thereby enchanting 
future generations by the glories of its fame. 

It is an indisputable fact, that genius is the pioneer of all pro- 
gressive enlightenment in civilization, and that it knows no 
obstacles to its advancement, although it has the competition of 
wealth, and a great variety of other powerful accessories, to retard 
its genuine ability ; it pursues the bent of its own mind with an 
inflexibility that acknowledges no bounds; reflecting and observing, 
discovering and inventing, analyzing, imitating and expressing; 
imagining and associating, beautifying and ennobling whatever is 
within the orbit of its mental vision ; thus showing its superiority 
over the lesser capacities of mind, involving all the grades of men- 
tality that ornament the beauty of expression, the treasures of 
science, the poetry of its ideal relations, the philosophy of its 
thoughts, and the transcendent laws ot its immortal existence. 

It is a commonly recognized principle, that the attributes of 
mind portend through its phenomena the diverging tendencies 
by which talent adopts the symbols of its expressions, and adapts 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 11 

itself to the congeniality by which it is influenced, throu h all the 
objects coming in contact with its converging mental rt optacles, 
that make its impressions, which are of an edifying natun . thereby 
divulging its prepossessions through the prominences of i j organ- 
ism, and shaping all its communications in accordance .7ith its 
convictions by attributing to it its peculiar qualities, and stating 
all of the exigencies that define the general course of its jiidgment 
and the peculiar scope of its understanding. 

That the general indifferencies of mind, or its positive attractions 
to all things congenial to its attractiveness, or that is irreconcilable 
to it, by its repulsiveness, are confirmed through the natural phe- 
nomenon accompanying the diversified talents of its organism; all 
of which are verified by its fundamental inclinations, and are deve- 
loped in every gesticulatory motion, changeableness of features 
and expressiveness of countenance by which the extremes of incli- 
nation have an identification, phenomonally shadowed forth by 
the ultraness and fickleness of its determinations; the sociability 
or moroseness of its disposition, its forethought, and its want of 
responsibility in connection with its negligence; its intellectual, 
moral, social and selfish predispositions; its debased motives, its 
aspiring tendencies, and the indifferences of its aspirations, are its 
unavoidable inheritances, having an expressively living existence, 
terminating in each and all of its faculties, and modifying each and 
all of their explicit relations, governing and controlling all of its 
reflective or observing intercommunications, which call into requi- 
sition all the faculties of its being, and magnifying the history of 
its philosophy, and shedding forth the lunar beams of its influence, 
thereby exciting its feelings and emotions, and penetrating the 
solar raj^s of its effulgence, awakening genius to the adequateness 
of its powers, and sending missions of humanity to the unfortunate 
of all the world; and thus imprinting the mind, and unfolding its 
intelligence with the natural fallibility of life, yet tracing its deity 
to a past and future immortal state of existence. 

That life is a multiplication of forces, or contracting and coun- 
teracting agencies, having their vital springs of action in a direct 
and indirect immutable first cause, and the nearer the approach to 
it by the exercise of all the faculties in a harmonious manner, or by 
conforming to the laws of its functional powers, which consist in 
the normal exuberances of its organism, the more naturally will 
the mind have a balancing and unwavering advancement; and as 



12 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 

the physical energies of the body have a recuperative healthfulness 
of action proportionally as the intelligent relations of cause and 
effect are better understood, and reason, morality and sociability 
are impressed by a higher intellectual culture, harmoniously sway- 
ing all the attributes common to the individual and society, or the 
great family of nations. 

That the physical energies of the system are only maintained 
through a requisite and constant supply of nutrimental food, and 
as the peculiar kind and quality of its nutritious substances have 
an especial adaptation to the constitution which it is intended to 
supply, and that its normal and abnormal condition have a directly 
influential bearing upon its constituent elements, which consist of 
its constitutional organism ; and that the bodily healthfulness of its 
functions are the natural results of its unequivocal compliance with 
that first principle of physical action. So, a happy adaptation to 
the nature and peculiarity of the subjects that should exercise the 
mind to action, have a just relation to an endless sphere of capa- 
city and capacitated intellectuality of faculties; and that the mind 
has a convincing enlargement as the corroborating circumstances, 
and advancing tendencies are more justly and amply supplied, and 
have a more wisely administered governmental influence; and 
that these comprise all its constituent relations, embracing the 
widest field of mental education consistent with human advance- 
ment, which turns the periods of its history, and governs the 
sphere and advancing stages of its progress. 

In passing judgment upon those who may engage or command 
the mind's attention, and a recognition of the endowments pecu- 
liar to them, is a mental conviction, showing that mind is not onh^ 
everywhere a pervading relation, but that there is a qualification 
given to it, and the sphere of its development, and whether the 
judgment resulting therefrom rests upon an approximation towards 
correctness or not, it neither interferes with, nor prevents the con- 
victions which it may entertain on that or all other subjects for 
mental investigation. And that certain attributing and quaUfying 
dispositions of mind are the commonly expressive relations, which 
find their appropriate applications and qualifications by the desig- 
nations that it points out, either of a commendatory or of a dispar- 
aging nature ; and that they are defined, and receive a form of 
expression when the mind utters its preferences or partialities, its 
convictions and conversions ; and that it frequently gives express- 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 13 



iveness to them by assigning to some persons a goodness of dispo- 
sition, and to others an evilness of inclination. While to some the 
logical and ponderousness of its intellectual powers, and to others 
the inferiority of its judgment; the raoralness of some, and the 
deviation from morality of others; and thus continuing the cata- 
gory, it might be prolonged to all sliades of mentality, morality 
and sociability, which embrace, to an important extent, the faculties 
of its organism; and portrays the inferiority or nobleness of its 
dispensatory relations by which mind acquits itself either for a 
higher or lower sphere of action, commensurate with the greatness 
of its designs, and consistent with the onward progress of its 
executions, carrying its intelligence and improvements to the 
fartherest regions of civilization, and thus conveying to the unen- 
lightened the blessings of civil society and civil government, and 
dispensing all its resources toward the amelioration of civilized and 
uncivilized humanity; operating through the vast labyrinths of its 
yearning desires, and the quickening influences of its surrounding 
relations, and advancing and invigorating its retarding energies, by 
supplying them with the motives of progress, and thereby furnish- 
ing the world with activlt3^ and satisfying it by the strides which it 
makes in every avenue of adventure; recording the nobleness and 
superiority of its works, and propitiating the renown of its glory 
and greatness. 

That mind has a constructive developing relation to all progress- 
ive intelligence and advancing improvement, and that it acts 
through the harmony of its purposes in divulging the intellectuali- 
ties of its relations, thereby substantiating, literally, every mental 
achievement coming within the relativeness of its revolutions, or 
the advancing speed by which it obeys, with alacrity, its pending 
circumscribed limits, which control all its individual and impres- 
sionable susceptibilities, operating through the most minute details 
of its organism, interchanging the mental commodities of its pre- 
ferences, and storing the most impressing and desirable communi- 
cations, ranging through the vast commerce of its ideas, commend- 
ing or traversing the exclusive field of its operations by contirming 
or opposing that which the preferableness or adverseness of its 
inclinatory relations may elicit; abridging, conforming and fash- 
ioning itself to the approximations of its surroundings and incen- 
tively stimulating influences; regulating all its movements with 
a singleness or multiplicity of mind towards the gratification of 



14 THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 



all its desires, and presignifying and speaking forth its sentiments 
phenomenally by the innumerableness and variety of its expres- 
sions, and the expressiveness and multiplication of its intercommu- 
nicable relations, and defining the analogies that exist between the 
adapting qualities of its mind or the qualifications of its organism. 

As a concert of action and observation are indispensable in ren- 
dering the mind practicable in all the effective operations of life, 
thereby molding the aggregate ol its affiliated relations. Thus 
seclusion from the active channels of society has a tendency to 
develope a thoughtfulness of mind. So general speaking, or the 
holding of converse, has a communicative influence, widening the 
field of inquiry and levelling the barriers that blind the judgment 
to its self-improvement. Thus, the acquirements gathered from the 
rich minds of intellectual lore, fill the understanding with the 
golden ideas of genius, and the general intellectualities of mental 
existence ; and as its farther advancement is favored by its written 
communications, the work of correcting and embellishing the inac- 
curacies of its undisciplined mind, and the inadequateness of its 
mental conceptions and convictions, a broader guage is opened to 
its earnest efforts in every department of science, literature and 
art, having an inspiring influence, reconcilable with the ratio of its 
variety or the limitedness of talents, the superiority or retrogra- 
tion of its inclinations, and the nobleness or subordinacy of its 
purposes. 

As all the discrepencies of mind, and extremes of ideas or extra- 
vagancies of notions in the great frame-work of society have a 
corrupting influence, whether they have their origin in its natural 
inclinations or through its cultivations by which it is disciplined 
from the earliest to the latest period of its impressionable exist- 
ence ; and that its true advancement is only consistent with its 
gradual progress, and that this principle has an appropriate bearing 
through all the complicated phenomenon of which the mind is | 
cognizant, and that it produces the many excesses to which human i 
nature is particularly susceptible, and that this applies more appro- 
priately to a singleness of thought and habit b}^ which the mind is 
deteriorated towards an imbecilit}' of condition, and finally concen- 
trated and brought to that degree of confusion that it is unable to 
control itself within its normal boundaries; and that the mind keeps 
wandering from its natural moorings, unless it is aided and 
strengthened by the apj^liances of the most natural and healthful. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 15 

correctives, and restored to its former tone of action, thereby 
steering clear of the mental shoals upon which it became wrecked, 
and lost its mental anchorage by losing the balancing powers and 
harmony of its judgment. 

As the natural conformation of the mind of an individual is his 
identity, so the peculiar kind of energy he brings into requisition 
characterizes the forces that propel him onward in whatever situa- 
tion he may be placed. Thus, as an illustration, the sun shines 
upon all nature alike, if it comes in contact with it, but the power 
of attraction is as conditional, varied and peculiar as the elements 
of nature themselves. The analogy holds true as respects the ca- 
pabilities of man. Impressions made upon the mind are in exact 
ratio to his powers of attraction and conception; and thus the 
powers of reflection and comprehension measure the exact degrees 
and intensity of his peculiar thought and observation, and limits 
definitely the aoi^ancement which the peculiarities of the mind of 
the individual are susceptible of accomplishing, and restricts his 
field of mental labors to the appropriateness of his capacities, and 
the power of his understanding. 

To express a particular idea, upon a given subject, requires a 
special faculty ; and this principle has an extended application to 
all subjects, and gives us the clew to the variedness of the intellec- 
tuality by which all grades of mind find their appropriate sphere of 
operation, by the attention which they bestow upon all matters 
congenial to their natures, and consistent with that kind of philo- 
sophy which recognizes the differences of natural attributes, and 
the diversity of their development; the positiveness of the laws by 
which +hey are governed, and the invariableness of the principles 
by which they are practically demonstrated; and that a continued 
chain of thought by which every idea is carried out to its legiti- 
mate bearings; and the subject receives, not only the impress of 
thought, but is made to stimulate other thoughts. And thus mind 
awakens mind to the highest efforts which its natural capabilities 
can possibly comprehend, and it is only through such a particular 
faculty that an earnest effort in behalf of any subject is calculated 
to give it its due weight and prominence, or that it is suscei^tible 
of being fundamentally expressed ; and that the aggregate of all 
the other faculties of the mind, or a greater or limited portion of 
them, aid the expression of each and all of them, without impairing 
their general harmony, or compromising the organism of its facul- 



16 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE Mmt). 



ties, which would necessarily infringe upon the capacities of its 
judgment, and destroy the harmony of the understanding. 

In giving expression to a faculty, or a number of faculties, the 
idea is conveyed that talent springs from a specific organism of 
mental endowments; thus furnishing the mental apparatus through 
which the thoughts are digested, and establishing upon the gifts of 
nature the various affinities which are distinguished as having a 
bearing upon any subject with which the mind may come in con- 
tact. So all that is requisite to do, in order to understand the bent 
of the judgment, is to ascertain the phenomenon of its most pro- 
minent faculty or faculties; and thus it is said that such a person 
has a gift of nature, or faculties of the mind by which it appre- 
hends or comprehends the subject it may have under investigation, 
or which may come within the scope of its judgment; and that it 
resolves and demonstrates whatever the faculty or faculties of the 
mind are susceptible of mastering, and that each faculty has a con- 
trolling and expressive power peculiar to itself, and also a primary 
relation, not only adequate, but indispensable, to the unraveling of 
all subjects, of whatever nature or character they may be possessed, 
or however abstuse their complicated relations; and that the mind 
differs in magnitude, as differ the magnitudes of the Heavenly 
bodies, and casts its mental effulgence, like a bright luminary, 
when at the zenith of its powers, or the absoluteness of its field of 
operations; searching after everything congenial to its nature, 
and which it is imbued with the spirit of its progressive welfare, 
or with which it is contaminated by the deviations which it makes 
from reason and justice. 

That it is the office of the different faculties of the mind to per- 
form different mental operations, and that they are accompanied 
by a mental phenomenon as unlike, varied and peculiar as the 
faculties themselves; and that it is only by a close and profound 
study of their general natures that a just and reasonable idea, not 
only of their existence, but of their relation, can be obtained; and 
that some of the faculties of the mind are phenomenally expressed 
by thought, imagination, observation, perception, taste, sociability, 
justice, humanity, selfishness and religious emotions; and that all 
these powers of the mind are sometimes of a weaker, and also of a 
stronger nature, dependent upon its natural gifts and its cultiva- 
tions; and that, in order to form the great mind, it is necessary 
that they should possess the undivided influences of both; but that 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MUSTD. 



there is a wide difference between the cultivation of the faculties 
or their natural developments; and in order to discriminate, accn- 
rately, their exact bearing, an extensive observation of the pheno- 
menon of mind, and a thorough reflection upon its peculiar philo- 
sophy is requisite; and that it is the only sure precursor to a 
formidable knowledge, by which the adequateness of mental power, 
as developed by the gifts of nature, and its cultivation derived 
through the instructions received, either by its own exertions, oi 
through the instrumentality of others, can be realized ; and as all 
subjects center, and have their foundation in the domain of the 
mental repository, designed by the great Creator of the universe 
to carry out the laws of general improvement, which enter intc 
every department of science, either of nature or art; and that the 
evidences of wisdom are as multiplied as the sources of instruction 
are increased and enlarged, and the faculties of the mind are di- 
rected towards the amelioration and advancing progress of an 
enlightened humanity. 

That an individuality of judgment has its origin in the identity 
which belongs to the individuality of the understanding peculiar tc 
the mind which it possesses, and as the ratio of its identity give* 
it an expansiveness of knowledge; hence, its superiority is rer 
dered certain through the conspicuousness and predominence b 
which it controls other minds by its new investigations and dev 
lopments; and in order to furnish a proper standard by whic 
mind should be graduated, the characteristics of genius must L 
followed to their natural field of operation, and there only can ii 
progress be tested, and its merits made obvious. And thus a clc 
scrutiny into the phenomenon of mind is only attainable by a pi 
found observation of all the peculiarities common to its ment 
attributes, and peculiar to the developments which it makes in g 
its researches, and a comparative knowledge of its attainmen. 
must be viewed, relatively, in its general relations to other mind 
in order to understand its relative merits ; and by this method th 
comparative excellence, or excelling capacity of mind, is brougb 
to view ; and it is only by this process that its strength and weat 
nesses can be philosophically investigated. And thus ascertainin 
what amount and peculiarity of talent may constitute the capacity 
of its mental powers or the susceptibilities of its natural develop 
ments, to its educational requirements and icfluences. 

As mind gives vent to its faculties by its mode of reasoning an 



18 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 

argumentations, and that its positions are expressed by theinqui-^ 
sitiveness which some minds devote to some matters of their pre- 
dilectionary judgments; and that the assertivencss which others 
present by the facts, observations and imaginations which become 
interesting to them to express by their tastes, talents and affinities, 
whether the faculties of the mind present them in a limited or 
enlarged degree; and that it is necessary to discover the feasibility 
of its understanding by its general or partial desires, which it is 
everywhere unfoldinge and xpressing; thereby exemplifying in the 
readiness or prolonged conditionary state of the mind by which it 
conveys its thoughts or procrastinates its judgment, owing to the 
expertness or profundity of its abilities, or the strength and acti- 
tivity ©f its powers. 

It is the natural prerogative of the mind to express that which 
it thinks and observes, imagines or hears; and that this express- 
iveness is only limited to its conceptional abilities. Therefore, when 
any view is presented by the mind, it indicates the relation which 
it bears to the subject it ma^^ have under consideration. Thus, i\\& 
abstractedness of the mind presents the highest degree of thought j 
the practicability of the mind, the closeness of its observation, the 
individuality of its relations, its observance of forms, its ideas of 
specific gravity, its discrimination of colors, its ingenious ability, 
its mathematical power, its retentive judgment, its memory of lan- 
guage, events and local relations, its love of wit and fondness for 
music, its imitative ability, its moral virtues, its ideas of justice, its 
benevolent sympathy. The emotional powers; its devotional sen- 
timents, its hopes, its wonders, its imagery of the ideal. Its social 
feelings; its love of kindred, its connubial affections, its relations 
to posterity, its attachment to home. Its selfish sentiments; its 
laudations, its determinations, its self-confidence, its selfish purposes, 
its acquisition of property, its circumspection, its non-committalism, 
its controversial powers, its destructive disposition and its alimen- 
tive desires. These, embracing the general elementary principles 
of the mental organism, by which thoughts are conceived, elabo- 
rated and delineated; and are modified by the internal and externa! 
influences of the mind, and furnish the foundation which explains 
the antagonism of its forces, and the extremes and limits of its 
powers; subject, only, to the laws of physical development and 
educational culture. 

As ideas, observations and thoughts are expressed through th« 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 19 



vocabulary of language. Hence, it8 medium of expressioi; becomes 
significant of the particular import of the sentiments i nparted ; 
and that it partakes of the configurations of expression >> hich the 
vocal powers may advantageously command, and direct^ its com- 
munications through and by the exertion of its faculties, in what- 
ever sphere of inquiry it may be absorbed; and that its .'••(andard 
is appropriately confined to the diversity ot its faculties, to the 
diversified degree ot their development, its general disciplinary re- 
lations, and the irresistibleness of the laws of nature, which are 
beyond the controlling power of man, and were not designed by 
the systematical arrangements of physical life, as a part of its 
functional capacities, but as being beyond the boundaries of its ca- 
pacitated judgment, or the comprehensibility of its understanding. 

Language, being a key by which the treasures of thought and 
instruction are conveyed and exemplified, and mind a focus, by 
which perceptiof'8 and tiuMights are apprehended, conceived and 
radiated. Thii.s intelligence is centralized through the portals 
which lead to the mind, and conceptions are produced in propor- 
tion as the mind is capable of receiving knowledge, or reproducing 
thought. And, following this legitimate position, the nature, en- 
dowments and properties of mind assume their tangible material, 
and intangible immaterial relations; carrying out their most subtle, 
grand, sublime and noble effusions of thought, and the finest and 
most exquisite shades of expression which its mental powers con- 
vey through the medium of its understanding and record, or in- 
vokes through the instrumentality of its vocal powers. 

As the energies of the system furnish the motive power to phys- 
ical action, so the various faculties of the mind are necessary to 
impart different inflections to the voice, and exhibit the peculiarity, 
phenomenon and circle of mentality belonging to the sphere of 
eacli. Thus, when a speaker communicates his sentiments to an 
auditory, either by vocal or written communications, he calls into 
exercise the existing faeulcies of his judgment, and through its 
creations he is brought in contact and communication with those 
who listen to the inspirations of his mind and voice, and are 
thrilled by his eloquence, as the energies of his system give scope 
to the force of expression, and the sphere of his understanding 
reaches and comprehends the capacity of his auditory; continuing 
this principle through its various bearings, dissertations, either in 
the form of speech or written communications, of a philosophic, 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 



•ientific or literary nature, imbue every mind with whatever bent 
I* peculiarity of sentiment may characterize the idiosyncrasy of 
s nature and the spirit of its inspirations. 

The differences recognizable in the various faculties of man, and 
leir bearing in the expression of thought, through the instrumen- 
.lity of language are discernible in the peculiar productions of all 
he variety of sentiment that constitutes the perspicuousness and 
ocabulary of expression; and the more important qualifications 
hat characterize the diversity of mind, and the diversified form of 
ts relations. Thus, a nervous style, is characteristic of a nervous 
emperament; and the consequence is, a predominance of mental 
nclination and susceptibility. A florid style is charactoiMstie of a 
.sanguine nature, and the sentiments uttered by those will be of an 
impulsive order. A muscular style is characteristic of a deep, com- 
prehensive and powerful mode of expression. 

In opening any book that has attracted, to a considerable degree, 
the attention of the world, it will be readily observed, that it 
marks the characteristics of its composer, and indicates the mental 
and physical forces from which emanated the production — whether 
it relates to its language or ideas; and thus language is not only 
tbe vehicle for the communication of ideas, but it also adds tone 
and vigor to its mode of expression, and imparts (when a judicious 
selection of words are made,) clearness and elegance to its com- 
position; and, therefore, his language is not effected by the muti- 
lations of circumstances, but maintains its features and configura- 
tions intact, and triumphs over the mutations of time, and estab- 
lishes the posthumous renown of its author. 

As reason is one of the gifts of Nature, and pre-eminently the 
highest intellectual qualification impressed upon man by God — the 
eternal cause of all causes, — it distinguishes him, in a more formi- 
dable manner, and establishes his jurisdiction, precedence and 
superiority over all animate and inanimate forms of matter, in 
every pursuit applicable to his desires, and tending to elevate, ex- 
)and and bring into execution that which should be his esteemed 
privilege; and that reason, in its most prominent form, embraces 
iepth of thought, — expansiveness and resource of judgment; and 
that it is unwise and useless for that mind, whose boundary of 
inquiry does not extend, nor permit him to investigate first princi- 
ples, or understand and penetrate into the chain of causes that are 
interwoven throughout all the vestiges of manifold nature, and 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIKD. 21 

are expressed through its phenomenon, effects, purposes afid divi- 

That treason j in its significant, highest and most enlarged sense j 
embraces a two-fold relation and bearing; its synthetical, or ab- 
stract manner of research into the natUre and causes of things; 
its analyticalj Or Comparative mode of investigations, and practical 
tendencies of its judgment; and as a large endowment of these 
faculties or qualities of the mind are requisite to thought, and a 
profundity of reasoning ; for upon these rest its inductive and de- 
ductive discriminating ability, whereby it traces out the relation 
that exists in all identifications mentally connected with material 
existence, which are generally presented to it by the circumstances 
of its position ; and apparently and appropriately for the purposes 
of eliciting inquiry, reflection and comparison; thereby affording 
conclusive eviderce, not only of the reasoning capacities of man, 
but of the wisdom imprinted upon him by a prior law of nature, — 
determining the identities of his organism, and the principles that 
control its motives and attractions, and regulates the mental and 
physical economy of its productive agencies, and its compensating 
forces of action; inducing an activity of mental reasoning power, 
according to the measure of its gifts, and the use it has appropri- 
ated to them by a proper choice of its themes and the modes of 
treating them, and the objects which are acquired by its exertions 
in the inquisitiveness oi its researches, the reflections of its judg- 
ment and the profoundness of its understanding. 

As every effect, in the natural world, reflects its hidden causes, 
from the gravitation of universes towards their attractive spheres, 
to the wafting of the leaves by the wind. Thus, also, a like crea- 
tive power exercises its thoughts through the channel that portrays 
the counterpart of its nature; reflecting its impressionable objects, 
and daguerreotyping its images by asserting and defining its natu- 
ral lineaments, — examining ^into its endless relations ; fathoming 
its intricate causes; — and that there in a fixedness to the revolu- 
tions and evolutions of mind and matter, relating to their direction 
and circulatory order of arrangements and movements; and their 
philosophical and chemical integral aftinities, by which its nutiire 
is developed, its principles made attainable, and its aivaruao-es 
everywhere prized for their, available utility, and ornaineiUal 
attractiveness; — thus the creative ideas of thought and reason, 
elicited therefrom, are the records of the times in which they were 



22 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 



produced, constituting the accumulations and accelerating powers 
b y which ages add to their accumulating improvements, and their 
constantly increasing treasures; and extending this principle far- 
ther into all the endless complicated relations, involved in the men- 
tal and material phenomena of causes, a natural adaptation of the 
reflective and inquisitive faculties of man to the subjects which are 
always being presented to him, and enlisting his attention; and 
thus continually demonstrating the wisdom of a divinity, who 
called all things of an animate or inanimate nature into being, and 
indicated the manner in which they were to be controlled and di- 
rected, to the final fulfilling of all divine laws, and the accomplish- 
ing of all the purposes of Him who pervades the infinities of space. 

That reason, in the general acceptation of the term, is allied to 
reflection, and determines its inferential ideas by the thoughts 
which may engross the attention of the mind, and a knowledge 
which it has of known efiects, and the inferences that may be 
drawn therefrom, by well ascertained and attested causes; and also 
the analogies which it presents and establishes by the resemblances 
which'' it institutes through the effectiveness of its]]^comparisons ; 
and that the philosophy of causes, and their consequent effects, and 
the analogy of relations, are only traceable to those who have in- 
herited or possess these faculties of the mind; and that man becomes 
fundamentally a logician; not by his education, but through the 
capacities peculiar to the different characteristics of mental power, 
possessed by the individuality of his judgment, and the causality 
and comparison of his understanding. Therefore, in taking a broad 
survey of all the*improvements common to mental progress, the 
favorableness of its surroundings form the chief inducements for 
its continually advancing achievements, but the faculties or talents, 
upon which its cultivations are based, always remain the same ; 
as instanced by the latent condition of the mind in an uncivilized 
.and uneducated state; and the intelligibility of its communications, 
by the civilizing influences of instruction, and the consequent em- 
ployment of its abilities in the discipline of the mind, and the ad- 
vancement of its knowledge. 

By an jngeniousness of talent, man became an inventive genius, 
and through his imitative ability he was soon versed in the practi- 
cal execution of it. So, that which was an essential harbinger to 
his enlightenment, facilitated the means of his communications, 
and increased the productiveness of his physical energies and 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 23 



mental powers. Thus, the conveniences and excellences of lil^ are 
greatly enhanced through the ingenuity and copying faculties 
manifested by his mind, and are exerted and demonstrated by the 
greatness of the obstacles which he has encountered and surmounted 
wherever the mechanical principles of mechanism, and its practi- 
cal adaptations are reduced to the effective purposes of general 
utility; and are also applied to the accomplishing of works of art,. 
by the efficiencies of his industry in artistical and practical work- 
manship; and the effectiveness of his mechanical ingenuity, which 
is extended into every avenue of labor, where his inventive or 
copying talents (if a right direction be given to his efforts), will 
enlist and encourage to a successful accomplishment of all that is 
estimable in the fine aud beautiful works of art, or is useful in the 
economical or practicable effectiveness of mechanism, and its bene 
ficent results* 

That an inventiveness of mind is naturally impressed by, and 
associates itself with the theoretical principles of mechanism, and 
that it has the capabilities of solving and understanding the philo- 
sophy of its abstract theories, and that an adapting practicability of 
mechanical talent, by which it introduces into effectual use whatever 
the mind conceives will be interesting or valuable for it to under- 
stand, as a matter of usefulness or mental qualification, is the two- 
fold relative connection and exposition by which the ingeniousness 
of invention, or the copying mechanical abilities of mind are explan- 
atorily defined. Therefore, the actuality of performing or inventing 
in the various operations and departments of mechanism, are not 
to be confounded with each other, but are attributable to the dif- 
ferences of talent possessed by those who excel in one of them, but 
are indifferent towards a knowledge of the other. Thus, if this 
philosophy of the mind is kept constantly in view, the broad dis- 
tinctions of genius, from an imitating development of intellectual 
susceptibility, will account for the fact that some persons are so 
situated that every inducement towards invention should stimu- 
late them to make some desirable improvement; yet they are satis- 
fied in performing, in the same routine, that which they have done 
from an early period to the advanced years of their lives ; while 
others, unconnected with their occupation, and having no induce 
ment to follow it, have produced inventions which have expedited 
labor by their remarkable construction and power, by which they 
have been enftbl©d to perform the work that, in many instanceSj 



24 THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 

would have required a number of laborers. And thus it is, that 
minds more highly organized in their natural endowments, are 
continually adding to the past improvements of those who devo- 
ted their lives in the noble employment of producing something 
that would result to the interest and advantage of the world, and 
the fame of him who is gifted through the inspirations of his ge- 
nius ; and that an imitative talent of mind is not restricted to a 
knowledge of practical mechanism, nor to artistical taste and ex- 
cellence, but displays itself through the delineations which it rep- 
resents, by pantomime, mimicry, personilication and ventriloquism. 
By a melody and harmony of sounds, through the expressions 
of the human voice, we recognize in man, faculties for imparting 
and discerning musical impressions, which charm those who are 
impressible through its intonations, and that it may be affirmed of 
all those who are not susceptible, either of producing or enjoying 
the creations of a musical mhid, that they have been truly unfor- 
tunate in not possessing these peculiarly gifted talents, which awa- 
ken in him the sublime harmony of its charming influences and 
ennobling tendencies; and that these musical abilities of the mind 
are dependent upon, and connected with talents, singularly ex- 
pressive of that phenomena of musical thought which inspires it to 
the performance of instrumental or vocal melodies which are so 
enlivening, that it heightens and expands all the finer feelings and 
noble sentiments which animate his nature ; and adding additional 
resources to his enjoyments, which are worthy of the best eiforts 
of those whose genius has attuned the world into song, by the 
fruits of their musical originations; and the improvement of their 
mental powers of appreciation, and the enjoyments that it has 
also furnished to those who are delighted by the fine effect that it 
imparts to the sentiments of thought or observation, which the 
music is intended to delineate, in the productions that teem with 
feeling, emotion and wit. And thus it will be perceived that the 
faculties of the mind are generally enlisted and electrified in all 
that approximates to the basis of musical talent, which is deter- 
mined by its susceptibility to a knowledge of tune and time, resol- 
vable and defined, by the capacity it has for judging of the quality 
of tones, by the melody of sounds, and its mathematical power of 
establishing, upon the basis of numbers, the most intricate pro- 
blems of astronomical calculations, chronology or mathematics, to 
the full and fractional parts of beats in the measurement of musi- 
cal timd. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 25 

That an ideality, or imagination of talent, has its beau-ideal in 
the regions ot fancy, and is gifted with a creative mental suscepti- 
bility of impression, by which it conceives its sublime and lively 
poetical effusions of imagery -, and has a tendency of mind and ex- 
pression towards the heightening of the real appearances of every 
object by which it becomes impressed, and lends a charming influ- 
ence to its fertile compositions, which teem with the beauty of 
language, and the poetry of sentiment. 

That an eventuality of talent constitutes a prerequisite to the 
biographer and historian, in ascertaining, retaining and delineating 
the facts and occurrences which have transpired at the various 
epochs, eras and events of history, and the important improve- 
ments which it has made in the arts and sciences; its political and 
religious revolutions, the discoveries and settlements of the differ- 
ent portions of the earth ; and the famines, earthquakes, inunda- 
tions and wars wl^ich have occurred within its recollection, or are 
recorded in history. 

A mirthfulness of talent, is indicated by its general enjoyment 
and love of fun, witticism and mirth, an exuberancy of spirits; a 
jocose, playfulness and gleefulness of expression, a pleasantry and 
gayety of disposition ; and exhibits itself in productions of satire, 
repartee and epigram. 

The ability for determining the locality of places, and judging of 
their relative positions and distances, and describing their situation, 
induces a desire and fondness for travel, and prompts to a change 
of residence, and incites the mind to a knowledge of the topogra- 
phy, chorography, geography and cosmogony of the earth, and the 
study of the science of geometry. 

That an individuality of talent disposes the mind to take a cur- 
sory and panoramic view of a variety of objects, in a brief spa' e 
of time, without investigating their nature, or understanding their 
purposes. 

By a talent for, and a study of, the science of chromatica, a 
knowledge is obtained of contrasting, blending and harmonizing ot 
colors; an observance of their shades and effects in exquisite and 
beautifully executed paintings, and picturesque scenery. 

It is through the faculty of form, that a recognition of the con- 
figuration of things, the features and expressions of countenances, 
family and other resemblances of persons are traced; and the pe- 



26 THE PHILOSOPHY 0¥ THE MIND. 

ciiliarities of manuers indicated and expressed by them are recol- 
lected, and are not readily effaced from the memory. 

That it is through a capacity, or talent, for investigating the 
laws of gravitation and specific gravity the principles of statics and 
dynamics, connected with a knowledge of weight or an equilibrium 
of physical action, is, thereb}^, philosophically investigated, and 
logically demonstrated. 

That a scrupulous regard for the principles of justice, a moral 
sense oi honesty, and a disposition to do right, connected with a 
conscientiousness of intention, and a truthfulness and sincerity of 
purpose, is that which constitutes the requisiteness of moral worth 
and integrity of character. 

That a benevolence of disposition prompts the mind to acts of 
kindness, hospitality, charity and compassion ; and by a mildness 
and benignity of nature, its happiness is promoted and maintained, 
through its beneficent aid, and sympathizing influences. 

That a veneration for, and a belief in, the existence of a supreme 
over-ruling power, is a religious emotion, characteristic of a devo- 
tional mind ; and that, also, a regard for superiors, and a respect 
for the sacredness of things, which are rendered so by time, and 
the hallowedness of associations, is a pervading religious sentiment, 
common and peculiar to the human race. 

By a marvelousness of mental susceptibility, a belief in, and a 
love for the supernatural and wonderful is enjoyed, which is also 
extended and disposes the mind to be entertained by views of pre- 
sentments, phantoms and ghosts. 

By a hopefulness of mental inclination, anticipations loom into 
the distant future, which assist and stimulate the mind to the per- 
formance of its desires, by the bright and vivid expectations 
which inspire and prompt its buoyant nature. 

That a firmness of mind, and a pertinacity of purpose, is evinced 
by the unalterableness of its resolutions, the obstinacj^ of its deter- 
luiuaiions, and the persevering adherence, by which it tenaciously 
clings to whatever may engross its attention, and has received the 
convictions of its understanding. 

That a fondness for distinction, and a love of approbation, an ur- 
banity, vanity, coquetry and ostentation of manners, create a de- 
sire for emulation, and predisposes the mind to a love of praise, 
notoriety, glory and renown. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIISTD. 27 



That a self-confidence of mind, originates in the self-r ^timation 
which man places upon his own qualifications, and predip'oses him 
to a self sufficiency of importance and responsibility, whi -li has its 
tendency towards dictation, arrogance and presumption. 

An acquisitiveness of mind, creates a desire for the acr-uisition 
and saving of property ; which leads to the amassing oil wealth, 
and a covetousness and avariciousness of disposition. 

A dissimulation of mind, has its source in a secretiveness of incli- 
nation, and veils its real purposes by concealing its motives, which 
constitute the under-current of its intentions and policy. 

A cautiousness of mind, induces a prudence and guardedness of 
deliberation and expression, a circumspection and sedativeness of 
demeanor; and has its evil influences in producing irresolution, 
fear, inquietude and melancholy. 

That a sevcfrity of character, or an anger of mental susceptibility, 
inciter the mind to a rashness, revengefulness, cruelty, and a de- 
structiveness of objects and purposes. 

That a controversial spirit of mind, and a desire for opposition 
and caviling, terminates in a combative propensity, which disposes 
it to a frequentness of quarrels, and a manifestation and display of 
physical courage. 

That a desire for food, constitutes one of the strongest demands 
of ph3^8ical nature ; but as the peculiar kind, quality and quantity 
vary according to the appetites of different individuals, the differ- 
ences are so generally observable and acknowledged, that it re- 
quires no demonstrable evidence of its alimentive desires. 

That a natural attachment for the place of one's birth, and a 
preference for residences which have long been occupied, induces a 
strong regard, and love of inhabitiveness, and incites the mind to 
deeds of patriotism, and a defence of home and country. 

That an ardency of friendship, is indicated by the fidelity with 
which people earnestly and affectionately adhere to their attach- 
ments, under the various trials and misfortunes attendant upon the 
changing scenes of life. 

That a parental love of children, connects generations with 
posterity, and seeks the happiness of its offspring, by the care 
which it bestows upon their protection. 

That the sentiment of love, springs from an enamored feeling 
and desire, which, if properly regulated and directed, forms unions 
of connubial felicity, influencing and reaching through all the social 



OS THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 

Vatures of society, and determining its essential happiness or essen- 

ial misery. 

As the preceding concise descriptions of the faculties of the 
nind, are assumed to be the basis upon which the judgment is 
formed, and the understanding is reared ; hence the aggregate of 
its mental abilities are dependent upon the phenomenal nature 
which each faculty developes in the peculiar sphere adapted to its 
exercise and manifestations; and that every faculty of the mind 
has its leading influence, whenever the subject is of such a charac- 
ter that it involves principles which require its particular attention; 
and that these faculties, thus described, instrumen tally obey the 
mandates of its external impressive relations, and are directed +o 
objects which stimulate them in the direction of just purposes or 
immoral tendencies; and that the faculties are modified in their 
action and expression, as they are proportionally increased or dimin- 
ished in development; and that also the form which the mind 
takes upon itself, is owing to the combination of its faculties, re- 
sulting in a conormation of mentality, and ending in forms of senti 
ment, susceptible of diversified thought and expression; and hence 
the necessity of giving the right direction to these talents, facul- 
ties or qualities possessed by the mind, which constitute the 
strength and weakness of its mental characteristics ; and that it is 
the wisdom of the philosopher; the duty of the statesmen, and the 
discretion of the philanthropist to investigate and adhere to these 
first principles, from which mind takes its rise, and consequently 
has its important results; therefore the absurdity of attempting to 
educate all persons in the same manner, and urging them to pursue 
the same branches of learning; has its futility in presupposing 
that all persons have the same mental, moral, social and physical 
inclinations, and that it would be quite as intelligible and rational 
to suppose there were no variations in the climates of the different 
latitudes and longitudes of the world. 

To have a just appreciation of the talents of the youthful mind, 
and to know how far the faculties of its understanding are suscep- 
tible of improvement, and a judicious culture of them is indispen- 
sable to a full development of its natural capabilities; and those 
who voluntarily shrink from the responsibility of their cultivation, 
contravene the laws of nature, and abrogate the designs of Hea- 
ven; and that it is the duty of every individual (as fiar as practi- 
cable) to educate himself, and become a pioneer in science by his 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MINJ). 29 

own exertions; and thereby level the intellectual forest of its igno- 
rance, and redeem, it from its want of mental fertility and produc- 
tiveness; and that mature age, as well as the youth of our time, 
are not properly instructed in what manner they could make the 
best use of those qualifications, and how they might accomplish 
more, by understanding better how to investigate the laws which 
govern the sciences that control their existence ; artd that this re- 
sults in a want of knowledge in understanding how to keep up the 
pristine elements, which constitute fundamentally the organization 
of man ; and that instead of destroying the natural vigor of his 
organism, by an inadequate and incorrect knowledge of that which 
truly constitutes civilization ; — erroneous opinions, based upon a 
false mental philosophy, which should be venerated more for its 
antiquity, than for its soundness or practical utility; and that, (if 
this principle should be kept constantly in view,) the precocity of 
mind, and its excessive physical tendencies, would form an equali- 
zing influence in its intellectual, moral, social and physical deve- 
lopment; and that the age would be less aggressive in its mental 
encroachments, but more fixed in its principles and purposes. 

As light, through the laws of refraction, demonstrates a funda- 
mental principle, by which a clew is obtained of the source and 
philosophy of chromatics; and by which prismatical efiects are in- 
stituted and presented ; and that it is owing to the peculiar con- 
struction of the prism, that the colors of light are distinctly 
refracted; otherwise, all forms of glass, with its transparent na- 
ture, would reveal exactly the same refractive influences ; and thus, 
the striking analogous relations existing between differently organ- 
ized minds; some being restricted by their natural capabilities, 
have only the mental power of receiving and imparting informa- 
tion, while others reflect the essential philosophical jirinciples 
which are involved in the idea, or that is originated through the 
instrumentality of the mind; and thus it is, that the susceptibili- 
ties of the natural endowments of man. are liketicd to the laws 
which govern the elementary principles of reiraction ; thcrelore 
the acquirements or thoughts of mind are made intelligible wlien a 
reason is readily assigned, wh}- a taste or aptness for :iiiy p?niicn- 
lar art or science does not of necessity involve the idea ot a talent 
for investigating the sense of the same, any more ihan uddiiy in 
an individual, involves the idea of the talents ui genius; neither 
does it furnish an indication, nor is it the precursor of a meditative 



30 THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE METO. 

or philosophical turn of mind ; but only indicates a precocious de- 
velopment or aptitude of certain faculties of the judgment; and 
as the prism refracts the colors from the rays of light; so the mind 
reflects the convictions which arise from the various evidences pre- 
sented to its senses and understanding. 

That the mind is dependent upon a physiological conformation 
natural to th*e human system, and that so far as its energies are 
varied by a preponderance or a tendency to an equalization of 
nerve, blood, fat, muscle, bone, and also all the functions of the or- 
gans belonging to its physical mechanism ; each imparting a pecu- 
liarity of power, activity or derangement, dependent alike upon its 
impaired or normal state of susceptibility, thereby inciting the 
mind to action, or enabling it to prolong its mental operations, 
subject to modifications by the physiological peculiarities of each 
particular individual ; and that the philosophy upon which its acti- 
vity and power are varied or maintained, are like unto the laws 
which govern the general principles of mechanical speed and 
power, for in the increase of either, a diminishing of the other is 
the unavoidable consequence resulting therefrom; and that these 
effects of power and activity are traceable in all the mental phases 
of intellectuality which abound in the productions ot the mind, or 
are demonstr^^ted by its practical operations; therefore the facul- 
ties of the mind are directly influenced as the constituent relations 
composing its physical basis furnish a greater degree of activity or 
power; or from its pathological conditions which impress the mind 
according to the variedness of its deranged functions, and the pe- 
culiarity of their influences. 

That the wealth of a nation, consists in the sources of its indus- 
try, and that its dependencies for exertion lie in the internal deve- 
lopment of its natural resources, and that these comprise all things 
pertaining to its proprietary acquirements : and as the constant 
lessening of its national wealth originates in purchasing commodi- 
ties which it might have advantageously produced by its exertion 
and economy; hence the appropriateness of the relation that exists 
in its application to the productiveness of the human understand- 
ing; for as the dependcncicsof the judgment hinge upon the assist- 
ancies of others, the lessening appliancies of its available abilities, 
impoverish all its mentnl relations; and that the mind's fertility 
has a similar bearing to the flourishing condition of a nation whose 
prosperity abounds in the facility of its industrial agencies, which 



THE PHILOSOPHY OP THE MIND. 31 

have a prospective relation to the future ; and awaken its energies 
in the greatness of its enterprises, the philanthropy of its generous 
impulses, and the progressiveness of its advancing achievements. 

That the mode of eliciting thought, and expanding the various 
powers of the mind, is a desideratum in the great problem to be 
solved in mental discipline; for in wasting its energies in useless 
attempts to effect that which the inadequateness of its mei?tal ca- 
pabilities prevents it from consummating, instead of that which is 
attainable by an adaptedness of its powers to the sphere of its 
more natural progress; and consequently all outward influences, 
which are calculated to impress the mind, should be guarded and 
regulated with an enlightenment of its understanding to the defi- 
ciencies and capabilities of the individual ; for in the diversities of 
talent, abounding throughout the creative universe of mind, pro- 
gresses a conforming of its powers to the best means of improve- 
ment is manifeslodly commensurate with its exact measure of ad- 
vancement ; and that the impresses of nature and art are amply 
diversified, and fertile in furnishing resources for observation and 
thought; hence there is an obviousness of reason why an adapta- 
bility of mind to the exigencies of its natural and artificial sur- 
roundingsj which exert such an important and essential bearing 
upon the intellectual, moral, social and physical existence and des- 
tinies of man, should be made the subject of profound investigation; 
and that the manifold and stupendous works of nature, with their 
complicated relations, as they are beheld in the sombre grandeur 
of the Heavens ; the ever-changing influences of the seasons, with 
the constant recurring and unfolding of the sublime harmonies of 
creation, and in the genius of mind, with the image of God indeli- 
bly impressed upon its bro^v, as evidenced by the comprehensive- 
ness and productiveness of its understanding; and thus, by carry- 
ing out this principle, and watching the operations of the mind, 
either in its observations or thoughts, it is essential that too much 
should not engross the attention o± the mind at the same time, nor 
should it be exerted in its reflections beyond its natural flow of 
thought; otherwise, its prostration, resulting from its over-exer- 
tions, will require artificial influences to call its mental activity and 
power into requisition; thereby inspiring it in accordance with the 
ability of its gifts; and that the mind should be relieved, at inter- 
vals, of its exertions, by inducing opposite tendencies to its attract- 
iveness ; and that these indispensable mental disciplinary regula- 



32 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 

tions, are the only criterions by which its onward progress is to bo 
promoted, and the fulfillment of its noble mission can be made 
attainable ; and lastly, as the world is governed and controlled by 
absolute laws, it behooves us to investigate and expound them, so 
that we shall be enabled to follow the highest dictates of the judg- 
ment derived through the most enlarged and diversified observa- 
tion and experience of mankind. 

That all mental power is actuated and essentially operated upon 
through the medium of the different temperatures of climate, and 
is dependent upon, and subservient to, its involuntary influences; 
and as these conditions are only second in importance to the facul- 
ties through whicli the mind operates, and cannot consistently be 
overlooked in determining the comparative advancement which 
these laws of assimilation, constituting its natural conditions, are 
imperatively stimulating or depressing the mind, in the same ratio 
as the diversities of climate are radiated to its extremes; and as all 
races of men or individuals are subjected to these inevitable laws, 
which involve causes and consequences beyond the control of hu- 
man susceptibility, and are limited in their extent, and find their 
highest medium of influence by the definitiveness of the laws 
through which they are developed and controlled ; and the form of 
human existence, possessing the assimilating qualities or constitu- 
tion of mind and body, peculiarly adapted and susceptible to a cli- 
matical influence, which is either calculated to elevate all the attri- 
butes of mental, moral and social power, or reduce it in the scale of 
civilizing improvement ; therefore races of men find their medium, 
and never rise above it, in mental culture or physical development, 
but conform to the peculiar laws of their being, whether confined to 
the frigid, torrid or temperate zones, and as the properties of the 
food which is consumed, under these opposite circumstances, par- 
takes of the same nature, the power or weakness of the constitu- 
tion is differently affected as these surrounding influences of climate 
and diet produce materially different elements of bodily conforma- 
tions, and consequently the condition of m^n^^ being dependent 
upon the state of the physical system, through which it is con- 
stantly operating, is influenced as these essential and inevitable 
principles of nature are accommodated and adjusted to all organ- 
ized beings, and more especially to those of a mental nature; and 
to him who would solve the problem of the wisest governmental 
existence which should be exercised over different races of men, of 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. 33 

diiferences of climate and dietics, must have a judgment based 
upon an intelligent investigation of these absolute laws of nature, 
or the consequences involved will greatly retard the progress of all 
efforts which may be made for the religious, political and social 
advancement, and consequentlj* the amelioration and enlighten- 
ment of the human race. 



Errata. — On page 6, 35th line, read selfish, instead of social. 
On page 7, 13th line, read perceptions instead of preceptions. 
On page 7, 38th line, read perception, instead of preception. 
On page 28, 18th line, read conformation instead of conormation. 



